


by the sounding sea

by made_of_lions_and_wolves333



Series: Blended Melodies of Dark & Light [8]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Implied Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:08:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21853453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/made_of_lions_and_wolves333/pseuds/made_of_lions_and_wolves333
Summary: The sea was like the Lady Morgana; fluid, untamed, and cold to the touch.Yet, a part of him loves her still.
Relationships: Merlin/Morgana (Merlin)
Series: Blended Melodies of Dark & Light [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1491179
Comments: 2
Kudos: 44





	by the sounding sea

**Author's Note:**

> Idea credited/inspired by Poe's classic "Annabel Lee"

**//**

The sea reminded Merlin of Morgana more than anything else in the world. The two went hand in hand in his mind — Morgana was a dweller of the sea. It was her namesake. And the sea is like the Lady Morgana — fluid, untamed, and cold to the touch. And yet, men constantly flocked to the waters anyway in rain or shine. They cherished the sea for exactly what it was. It was a powerful element and they needed it for sailing, for fish, for swimming and refreshment, and for keeping foreign enemies away from attacking their shores.

Some days, he could still hear echoes of her cries, her laugh, in the crashing of waves against the rock. If he looked long enough, letting his eyes strain and imagination roam, he could picture her familiar form walking along the beach.

He came here to this very spot on the bluffs, to watch the sea move and flow and breathe every passing month, ever since Morgana died. He brought flowers with him (a variety of Morgana’s old favorites), and slowly he’d tear them up, ripping off leaves and petals and toss them into the rising tide. Thinking of her, grieving for her. To honor her past separate from their King, even in some small private way... 

“Hail, Merlin!”

Merlin turned to find the Head Knight suddenly standing there, a gust of wind stirring his hair. “Sir Leon. What brings you out here?”

“Merlin, the Knights have been talking... about this little habit of yours. It has been concerning for them.”

“What about it concerns them?”

“Whether or not your loyalties still lie with our Fair Queen, even if King Arthur is gone.”

Merlin stretched his legs, getting to his feet, and threw the rest of the petals in his hand over the ledge. “I pledged my friendship and alliance to Gwen long ago. She knows this.” He faced Sir Leon calmly at first, but there was a strange tightness lining his muscles. His jaw hardened. “Frankly, I find it somewhat offensive you would think differently after everything that I’ve done for Camelot up until now, Sir Leon.”

The Knight took a few steps towards him. “We just do not understand why you come here so often, Merlin, mourning _Morgana_ of all people after everything _she’s_ done. And it is concerning me, because I’ve heard you myself, even — I’ve heard you calling out her name in your sleep before— ”

“Does it really surprise you?” Merlin’s counter-question came out a little too critical, a little bit too _snarling_ than what was typical for him. It clearly left Leon stunned for a moment. Merlin had never snapped at any of the Knights like that before. Though, Merlin sighed briefly and stared back at Leon, apologetically. “At the end of each day,” he added, placing his hands firmly atop of Leon’s shoulders, “everyone still has their own vices. Even me.”

“But, Merlin, she was so — do you still _love_ her this much?”

“Me and Morgana, had something between us. Something that bound us together, till the very end. It’s something that you _can’t_ understand, my friend, until it happens to you.” Merlin’s grip on him instinctively tightened and Leon is soon captivated by Merlin’s rigid focus and passion. “But when _you_ find someone that stands out in your life, like she did for me _—_ and you realize, that it was meant to be that way— that she and you were intended to meet through magic and Destiny itself? When she becomes _half_ of everything you have and what you are. When she becomes the very source of your own fear and ire and sadness. Then, one day, you are forced into a corner and the only thing left to do is to kill her _yourself —_ you kill your counterpart in front of her dying brother at the same time, on the same day, and you are suddenly left living on your own, feeling only half complete. When _that_ happens to you, Sir Leon, then perhaps we can talk about it some more.”

Leon was silent after that, and softly, Merlin concluded with, “Yes,” his fae-blue eyes landing once more on the sounding sea before wandering away from the bluffs alone. “I love her still.”


End file.
